Snake-handling pastor dies after rattlesnake bite

A preacher in Kentucky who handled live snakes during his sermons has died
after he was bitten by a rattlesnake during a service

1:17PM GMT 17 Feb 2014

Pastor Jamie Coots, who was part of a fundamentalist church which believes Christians can handle serpents without being harmed, has died after being bitten by a rattlesnakeduring a service.

Witnesses said the snake bit him on the back of the hand and when an ambulance arrived he refused treatment due to his religious beliefs.

Emergency workers found Mr Coots dead an hour later from the venomous snake bite.

Police Chief Jeffrey Sharpe, from Middlesboro Police Dept said, "I don't agree with his interpretation [of the Bible], but you just have to have a tremendous amount of respect for his determination to follow his beliefs".